Three Layer Cake

When a brownie batter supports little chunks of premium bittersweet chocolate, a delectable thing happens—the small chunks of chocolate form pools of goodness throughout, and the sweet resonates with flavor.  Even though I can’t, you should try to restrain yourself from cutting the brownies too soon.

BITTERSWEET BROWNIE BATTER

1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup bleached cake flour
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks
½ pound (16 tablespoons or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to tepid
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid
5 large eggs
2 cups superfine sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for sifting on top of the baked brownies (optional)

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREES F.  Film the inside of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

MIX THE BATTER Sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper.  In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chunks with 1 teaspoon of the sifted mixture.

            In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter, melted unsweetened chocolate, and melted bittersweet chocolate until smooth.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, about 15 seconds.  Add the sugar and whisk until combined, 30 to 45 seconds.  Blend in the vanilla extract and melted butter-chocolate mixture.  Sift the flour mixture over and stir to form a batter, mixing thoroughly until the particles of flour are absorbed, using a whisk or flat wooden paddle.  Stir in the chocolate chunks.
            Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

BAKE, COOL, AND CUT THE BROWNIES Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 30 to 33 minutes, or until gently set.  Let the brownies stand in the pan on a cooling rack for 3 hours.  With a small sharp knife, cut the sweet into quarters, then cut each quarter into 4 squares.  Remove the brownies from the baking pan, using a small offset metal spatula.  Store in an airtight tin.
            Sift confectioners’ sugar on top of the brownies just before serving.

Bake-and-serve within 3 days.

Study  The chopped bittersweet chocolate forms creamy pools of flavor in the baked brownies.  The following bittersweet chocolates are worth noting for using in the recipe (both for the chunks and melted chocolate):  Valrhona Extra Amer Bittersweet 61% cacao; Valrhona Le Noir Amer 71% cacao; Valrhona Le Noir Gastronomie 61% cacao; Valrhona Caraïbe Dark Chocolate 66% cocoa; Valrhona Grand Cru Noir Manjari Gastronomie Chocolat Noir Dark Chocolate 64% cocoa; Valrhona Equatoriale Chocolate de Couverture Noir Dark Bittersweet Couverture 55% cacao; Michel Cluizel Chocolat Amer Dark Chocolate 60% cacao; Michel Cluizel Ilha Toma 65% cocoa; Lindt Chocolate Créé à Berne Swiss Bittersweet Chocolate; or Lindt Excellence Swiss Bittersweet Chocolate.

Reprinted by permission from ChocolateChocolate, by Lisa Yockelson. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2005 by Lisa Yockelson.  All rights reserved.

Photo:  Ben Fink